In Coutances, the city of Jazz under the apple trees, a collective led by musician Anne Paceo fights against sexism in jazz

For decades, few women performed on jazz stages. To remedy this, Anne Paceo, composer with multiple Victoires de la Musique, is launching the WIZZ (Women In Jazz) system in Coutances. Ten women are trained, before performing on stage during two concerts in the fall of 2024.

Deploring the persistent male domination in jazz, percussionist and composer Anne Paceo dreamed of a privileged space for exchange and practice exclusively intended for young female musicians. His dream has just been fulfilled. The WIZZ (Women In Jazz) system was born in Coutances (Normandy), the city of jazz par excellence thanks to the notoriety of the Jazz sous les pommiers festival. Its objective, inspired by American academies and campuses, is to increase the number of female jazz musicians. The observation is clear: even if there were many of them in the classrooms, few manage to become professionals.

“The first time I got it, it was as if I had won it in a surprise bag, in the eyes of men, I have the impression that it took two to be seen at the height of what I do.

Anne Paceo

jazz drummer and composer

Faced with a sexist musical universe, Anne Paceo, recognized drummer and composer, takes action. She is driven by her own experience since despite several records and worldwide concerts, she had to face misogynistic remarks, especially during her success at the Victoires de la Musique, in 2011, 2016 and 2019.

The Wowen in Jazz system is created with around ten musicians, aged 18 to 32, who come from all over France, Belgium and Spain to the Coutances theater. For three days, they will be trained there thanks to the collaboration of the Sceaux Gémeaux national scene and the Jazz sous les pommiers festival. As a result, two concerts are planned to launch the group in the fall of 2024, in the Paris region and in Coutances.

Shake up the masculine lines

This new generation of female musicians hopes to shake up male lines. “For me, it’s a bit of science fiction to just play with women in an all-female environment“, declares Jasmine Lee, double bassist. If this sorority seems surprising, it is because in jazz, more than 80% of the artists are men. “We encounter a problem of legitimacy and trust because as a girl, we don’t know if we are taken for our skills or just because there was a need to have a girl in the group,” confides Lucie Jahier, flautist.

These injustices are heard by the director of Jazz sous les pommiers. With this device, he hopes to have found a way to correct this part of jazz history, “actions like this give a strong sign of the recognition of female musicians as such in a somewhat traumatic world, including in jazz.” alarms director Denis Le Bas. Women In Jazz hopes to make its place in concert and festival programming.

While waiting for more fairness, the group of musicians WIZZ will perform in concert in Paris and Coutances next fall.